DepEd-7 Director Salustiano Jimenez holds a press conference at the regional office on Wednesday to give updates on DepEd’s programs and projects to members of the Cebu media. | CDN Digital photo by Niña Mae Oliverio
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The regional director of the Department of Education Central Visayas (DepEd-7) said on Wednesday that the P12 billion cut from Deped budget for 2025 will have a big impact on the region, especially on its Computerization Program.
DepEd-7 Director Salustiano Jimenez revealed this during their previous meetings with the other education officials, that one of the regions that has the ‘biggest’ budget in the country was Region 7. However, he has yet to share the region’s 2025 budget as of press time.
“Sa Computerization, tablets, and laptops, and Region 7 has the biggest budget for 2025 among all the regions. Anyway, Secretary Angara assured us that the president might consider as well, that the P12 billion cut will be given back to DepEd,” Jimenez said in mixed English and Cebuano.
The DepEd budget was initially allocated at P748.6 billion, but it was reduced to P737 billion after a conference of the bicameral committee composed of the members from the Senate and the House of Representatives.
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DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara has also expressed dismay over the budget cut, particularly its impact on the agency’s Computerization Program.
As part of the overall budget reductions, P10 billion will be cut from the DepEd’s Computerization Program. This program aims to enhance the digital infrastructure in public schools by providing essential Information and Communications Technology (ICT) equipment, network systems, software, and internet connectivity.
“P10 billion was cut from the proposed 2025 computerization program of the DepEd budget. That could have funded thousands of computers/gadgets for our public school children. Infrastructure is important, but so is investing in our people and human capital. The digital divide will widen,” Angara said on X.
Moreover, Jimenez said that “though the DepEd has the biggest budget, 70 or 75 percent of that budget goes to the salary.”
He said that it is more on the salary because the Education department also has the “most number of personnel” with “more than a million.”
“Dako kaayo tan-awon, dakoag budget sa DepEd, but if you’re going to get the salary first, then what’s left for the operations, so you could say, gamaya ra diay ana,” Jimenez explained.
He added that the department would also need a budget for infrastructure, especially when a calamity arises.
Despite the DepEd budget cut, Jimenez said that the agency may still receive donations from non-government organizations, and from there, they will identify the schools that needed the assistance the most.
As of 2024, Central Visayas has approximately 82,000 DepEd teaching and non-teaching personnel from Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor. Of the number, 77,000 are teaching and 5,000 are non-teaching personnel.
Jimenez said that there are thousands of personnel because almost all of the barangays in the regions have schools. | with reports from Cristina Eloisa Baclig, Inquirer.net